RAF Martlesham Heath: Difference between revisions

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RAF Martlesham Heath is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 1 1/2 miles SW of Woodbridge in Suffolk.

USAAF Use

Martlesham Heath was assigned USAAF designation Station 369.

356th Fighter Group

The airfield was opened in May 1943 and was first used by the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force 356th Fighter Group, arriving from RAF Goxhill on 5 October 1943.

The group consisted of the following squadrons:

359th Fighter Squadron (QC)
360th Fighter Squadron (PI)
361st Fighter Squadron (QI)

The 356th FG served in combat from October 1943, participating in operations that prepared for the invasion of the Continent, and supporting the landings in Normandy and the subsequent Allied drive across France and Germany.

The group flew P-47's until they were replaced by P-51's in November 1944. From October 1943 until January 1944, operated as escort for B-17/B-24 bombers that attacked such objectives as industrial areas, missile sites, airfields, and communications.

Fighters from the 356th engaged primarily in bombing and strafing missions after 3 January 1944, with its targets including U-boat installations, barges, shipyards, airdromes, hangars, marshalling yards, locomotives, trucks, oil facilities, flak towers, and radar stations. Bombed and strafed in the Arnheim area on 17, 18, and 23 September 1944 to neutralize enemy gun emplacements, and received a Distinguished Unit Citation for this contribution to the airborne attack on Holland.

The group flew its last combat mission, escorting B-17's dropping propaganda leaflets, on 7 May 1945. It returned to Camp Kilmer New Jersey and was inactivated on 10 November 1945.

Postwar Use

After the war, the field was closed and returned to agriculture in November 1945

References

Freeman, Roger A., Airfields Of The Eighth, Then And Now, 1978
www.controltowers.co.uk Martlesham Heath
356th Fighter Group on www.littlefriends.co.uk

External links

This United States Air Force article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 === 356th Fighter Group ===
-The airfield was opened in [[May]] [[1943]] and was first used by the [[United States Army Air Force]] [[Eighth Air Force]] '''356th Fighter Group'''.
+The airfield was opened in [[May]] [[1943]] and was first used by the [[United States Army Air Force]] [[Eighth Air Force]] '''356th Fighter Group''', arriving from [[RAF Goxhill]] on [[5 October]] [[1943]].
+The group consisted of the following squadrons:
+* 359th Fighter Squadron (QC)
+* 360th Fighter Squadron (PI)
+* 361st Fighter Squadron (QI)
+The 356th FG served in combat from [[October]] 1943, participating in operations that prepared for the invasion of the Continent, and supporting the landings in Normandy and the subsequent Allied drive across France and Germany.
+The group flew [[P-47]]'s until they were replaced by [[P-51]]'s in [[November]] [[1944]]. From [[October]] 1943 until [[January]] 1944, operated as escort for [[B-17]]/[[B-24]] bombers that attacked such objectives as industrial areas, missile sites, airfields, and communications.
+Fighters from the 356th engaged primarily in bombing and strafing missions after [[3 January]] 1944, with its targets including U-boat installations, barges, shipyards, airdromes, hangars, marshalling yards, locomotives, trucks, oil facilities, flak towers, and radar stations. Bombed and strafed in the [[Arnheim]] area on 17, 18, and 23 [[September]] 1944 to neutralize enemy gun emplacements, and received a [[Distinguished Unit Citation]] for this contribution to the [[Operation Market-Garden|airborne attack on Holland]].
+The group flew its last combat mission, escorting B-17's dropping propaganda leaflets, on [[7 May]] [[1945]]. It returned to [[Camp Kilmer]] [[New Jersey]] and was inactivated on [[10 November]] 1945.
 == Postwar Use ==